Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw has pledged to do a better job publicly backing her officers after she and the mayor heard their deep concerns and frustrations during one of three internal listening sessions.
The chief scheduled the meetings when she heard grumblings in the bureau following a public listening session that she and the mayor called amid community outrage over hundreds of friendly texts exchanged between a police lieutenant and the leader of a right-wing activist group.
That gathering at the Maranatha Church last month devolved into a spectacle filled with shouting and biting criticism of police as Mayor Ted Wheeler, Outlaw and her deputy and assistant chiefs mostly sat mum and a facilitator struggled to keep the peace.
It further angered police officers who were already fed up with the mayor’s swift condemnation of Lt. Jeff Niiya and his texts with Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson. There was a pervasive sentiment among officers wondering, “What about us?” the chief said.
Outlaw sat down last Thursday with officers at North Precinct and then sent out a memo this week to all officers that started with two words: “Let’s Reset.’’
She promised to more consistently voice her support of officers, ensure that bureau brass as well as elected officials presume officers act with honor unless proven otherwise and ensure fair investigations of officer or bureau actions.
According to interviews with several people at the meeting, officers were blunt: They said they were disturbed that Wheeler and two city commissioners condemned Niiya’s texts before an investigation had started and without providing any context about Niiya’s job as crowd control liaison.
They said they don’t feel supported. They hear from officers in surrounding police agencies that they wouldn’t dare work in Portland because of a perceived “anti-police climate’’ and spoke of low morale as veteran officers retire faster than they can be replaced.
“I think people are hurt,’’ one officer said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, noting that he’s afraid he’ll be “written up’’ by the bureau for talking to a reporter.
CHIEF MAKES NEW COMMITMENTS TO OFFICERS
Outlaw began her memo by saying the three goals she set when she became chief a year and a half ago -- crime prevention and reduction, organizational excellence and community engagement and inclusion -- aren’t sufficient.
“Having three goals is not enough and I make three commitments to you,’’ she wrote. “Without these commitments we cannot succeed as a bureau. I make these commitments to you knowing that words alone are not enough; only with action do we see results.’’
She promised to be an advocate for officers.
“I will ensure that bureau leadership follows a basic premise in all that we do; a premise that I will repeatedly reaffirm with our elected officials; my presumption is that each and every one of you is a dedicated public servant that intends to work with integrity and diligently for the communities we serve,’’ she wrote.
“When there is public inquiry or criticism of our bureau generally, or any one of you specifically, I will ensure that presumption is honored and that any system of accountability used to review our, or your actions will be fair, equitable and just.’’
The chief urged her officers not to avoid enforcing the law for fear of facing investigation. “When you believe you are acting honorably and intentionally, with the support of your leaders, you will achieve so much more,” she said.
Outlaw also told officers she recognized “the challenging political climate that you and I must navigate to accomplish our three goals for the bureau.’’ The chief reports to the mayor, a voting member of the City Council who also serves as police commissioner.
The chief invited Wheeler and the mayor’s staff to the bureau listening sessions. The mayor attended the first one and said he plans to attend each one. The chief hopes to hold at least two more.
“I genuinely support my people and I wanted them to know that,’’ Outlaw told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The bureau listening sessions were the idea of Assistant Chief Jami Resch and gave officers a chance to be heard in a safe place without fearing repercussions, the chief said Friday.
While some officers were perturbed that Outlaw hasn’t been more publicly outspoken to counter some of the harsh criticisms of police, she said it’s her duty to provide a measured response.
“Words matter,’’ Outlaw said. She acknowledged she could have explained more about Niiya’s job but said she won’t weigh in on the appropriateness of the texts while an administrative investigation continues.
Niiya was removed from his role as the bureau’s crowd control liaison pending the investigation.
“You can be all for police accountability and you can be supportive of officers. They’re not mutually exclusive. It’s not an either/or thing,’’ Outlaw said.
Officers are called out day and night to respond to other people’s emergencies, she said. “You can throw out all these great ideas and strategies, but if you don’t have the people to do the work, you’re just running you’re mouth,’’ she said.
OFFICERS WERE ‘FRANK, THOUGHTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL’
Wheeler said he found the officers’ remarks “frank, thoughtful and professional.’’
He said he learned he could have done more to separate his concerns about the content of Niiya’s text messages from his focus on Niiya as an individual. “I heard that loud and clear,’’ he said.
“I will continue to hold the bureau accountable,’’ Wheeler said, but he realized he can’t lose sight that although officers sometimes are considered invincible, they’re human and vulnerable and “at the end of the day, they feel the pressure of accountability and what is said about them.’’
He said he doesn’t disagree that the chief and officers face a “challenging political climate,’’ referencing national and local scrutiny of police. If he criticizes bureau actions, Wheeler said he should pair that with public acknowledgement that officers do a difficult, dangerous and often thankless job.
Wheeler said comments made by other city commissioners “often get conflated’’ with his comments, but he said he must do more as mayor to “push back against narratives’’ that are false.
“I appreciated having the opportunity to look the men and women of the Police Bureau in the eye and tell them I hear them,’’ he said.
Wheeler also applauded the chief’s “reset” memo as an example of Outlaw’s ability to “listen and be introspective and adjust course when necessary.’’
He conceded that he and the chief don’t always share the same positions on police matters but characterized them as minor budget or policy matters.
“We definitely have disagreements, but they’re always respectful. We talk things through,’’ he said. “I didn’t bring her in as police chief so she could just parrot my views on the world.’’
He said Outlaw knew when she was hired that leading the Police Bureau was going to be a difficult job, “but I believe she’s here for the long-term” -- clarifying he means beyond the typical short-term two- or three-year tenure of past chiefs. “She has the ability to cement herself as a really great leader in this community.’’
Lt. Craig Morgan, head of the Portland Police Commanding Officers Association that represents Niiya, said officers appreciate that the chief and mayor are “recognizing they have internal constituencies, too’’ and allowed bureau members to vent.
“It’s good for officers to have reinforced that the people at the top need to hear from them as well,’’ Morgan said. “At the end of the day, actions are going to speak much louder than words.’’
-- Maxine Bernstein
Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com
Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian
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